Kushiel's Dart
}} Kushiel's Dart is the first novel in the Kushiel's Legacy saga. It is narrated in first-person perspective by Phèdre nó Delaunay. The book covers Phèdre's life from birth to approximately age twenty-two. Publisher's summary Hardcover A nation born of angels, vast and intricate and surrounded by danger... a woman born to servitude, unknowingly given access to the secrets of the realm... Born with a scarlet mote in her left eye, Phédre nó Delaunay is sold into indentured servitude as a child. When her bond is purchased by an enigmatic nobleman, she is trained in history, theology, politics, foreign languages, the arts of pleasure. And above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Exquisite courtesan, talented spy... and unlikely heroine. But when Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens her homeland, Terre d'Ange, she has no choice. Betrayed into captivity in the barbarous northland of Skaldia and accompanied only by a disdainful young warrior-priest, Phèdre makes a harrowing escape and an even more harrowing journey to return to her people and deliver a warning of the impending invasion. And that proves only the first step in a quest that will take her to the edge of despair and beyond. Phèdre nó Delaunay is the woman who holds the keys to her realm's deadly secrets, and whose courage will decide the very future of her world. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age and the birth of a new. It is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. A world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, deposed rulers and a besieged Queen, a warrior-priest, the Prince of Travelers, barbarian warlords, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess ... all seen through the unflinching eyes of an unforgettable heroine. Mass market paperback The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good...and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt. Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission...and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair...and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear. Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since ''Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart—a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.'' Plot summary Phèdre nó Delaunay's story begins as “a whore’s unwanted get”. Sold into the Night Court as a child, she is seen as flawed because of the red mote in her left eye. It is only when Anafiel Delaunay, a noble and former court poet, recognizes her as stricken by Kushiel’s Dart that Phèdre’s true nature is understood. She is an anguissette, someone marked by the god to feel pain as pleasure. Raised by Delaunay in his household, she is trained as both a courtesan and a spy, a tool in her master’s intrigues. Even all of Delaunay’s training cannot prevent the unthinkable, and when Phèdre finds herself framed for an unspeakable crime and betrayed into to the frozen, enemy lands of Skaldia it takes all of her intelligence and resilience to escape with a dire warning for her young Queen-the Skaldi plan to attack Terre D’Ange and their country is about to betrayed by one of its own. With no one else to trust, Queen Ysandre turns to Phèdre to complete one last impossible task, travel across the dangerous straits to Alba to seek assistance from the strange and unknown Cruithne and to finish the work Delaunay had begun-that of joining two nations under the banner of Blessed Elua’s precept: Love as thou wilt. Cover gallery Kd.jpg|US Cover Strzala Kusziela.jpg|Polish edition cover Kushiels-Dart.jpg Dart NYT Best Seller.jpg KushielsDartCover.jpg KD Back Cover.jpg Kushiels Dart Audio.jpg Dart SBFC Fantasy.jpg Dart SBFC Fantasy back.jpg KD German pt 1.jpg KD German pt 2.jpg KD German pt 3.jpg KD Das Zeichen.jpg KD German paperback.jpg KD German Audiobook.jpg Dart French Hardcover 1.jpg Dart French Unused cover.jpg La Marque.jpg La Marque HQ.jpg Il Dardo e La Rosa.jpg Dart Dutch.jpg Dart Dutch back.jpg Dart French paperback.jpg Dart Polish Alternate.jpg Dardo front back.jpg Kushielova-strijela.jpg Kushiel czech 4 parts.jpg A marca de kushiel.jpg Portuguese marca kushiel.jpg O dardo de kushiel.jpg Dardo 2015.jpg Dart jp 1.jpg Dart jp 2.jpg Dart jp 3.jpg Characters Delaunay's Household Anafiel Delaunay—noble Alcuin nó Delaunay—Delaunay's pupil Phèdre nó Delaunay—Delaunay's pupil; anguissette Guy—Delaunay's man Joscelin Verreuil—Cassiline Brother (Siovale) Members of the Royal Family: Terre d'Ange Ganelon de la Courcel—King of Terre d'Ange Genevieve de la Courcel—Queen of Terre d'Ange (deceased) Isabel L'Envers de la Courcel—wife of Rolande; Princess-Consort (deceased) Rolande de la Courcel—son of Ganelon and Genevieve; Dauphin (deceased) Ysandre de la Courcel—daughter of Rolande and Isabel; Dauphine Barquiel L'Envers—brother of Isabel; Duc L'Envers (Namarre) Baudoin de Trevalion—son of Lyonette and Marc; Prince of the Blood Bernadette de Trevalion—daughter of Lyonette and Marc; Princess of the Blood Lyonette de Trevalion—sister of Ganelon; Princess of the Blood; Lioness of Azzalle Marc de Trevalion—Duc of Trevalion (Azzalle) Members of the Royal Family: La Serenissima Benedicte de la Courcel—brother of Ganelon; Prince of the Blood Maria Stregazza de la Courcel—wife of Benedicte Dominic Stregazza—husband of Thérèse; cousin of the Doge of La Serenissima Marie-Celeste de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of Benedicte and Maria; Princess of the Blood; wed to Doge of La Serenissima's son Thérèse de la Courcel Stregazza—daughter of Benedicte and Maria; Princess of the Blood D'Angeline Peerage Isidore d'Aiglemort—son of Maslin; Duc d'Aiglemort (Camlach) Maslin d'Aiglemort—Duc d'Aiglemort (Camlach) Marquise Solaine Belfours—noble; secretary of the Privy Seal Rogier Clavel—noble; member of L'Envers entourage Childric d'Essoms—noble; member of Court of Chancery Cecilie Laveau-Perrin—wife of Chevalier Perrin (deceased); former adept of Cereus House; tutor to Phèdre and Alcuin Roxanne de Mereliot—Lady of Marsilikos (Eisande) Quincel de Morhban—Duc de Morhban (Kusheth) Lord Rinforte—Prefect of the Cassiline Brotherhood Edmée de Rocaille—betrothed of Rolande (deceased) Melisande Shahrizai—noble (Kusheth) (Tabor, Sacriphant, Persia, Marmion, Fanchone—members of House Shahrizai; Melisande's kin) Ghislain de Somerville—son of Percy Percy de Somerville—Comte de Somerville (L'Agnace); Prince of the Blood; Royal Commander Tibault de Toluard—Comte de Toluard (Siovale) Gaspar Trevalion—Comte de Forcay (Azzalle) cousin to Marc Luc and Mahieu Verreuil—sons of Millard; Joscelin's brothers Millard Verreuil—Chevalier Verreuil; Joscelin’s father (Siovale) Night Court Liliane de Souverain—adept of Jasmine House; mother of Phèdre Miriam Bouscevre—Dowayne of Cereus House Juliette, Ellyn, Etienne, Calantia, Jacinthe, Donatien—apprentices of Cereus House Brother Louvel—priest of Elua Jareth Moran—Second of Cereus House Suriah—adept of Cereus House Didier Vascon—Second of Valerian House Skaldia Ailsa—woman in Gunter's steading Gunter Arnlaugson—head of steading Evrard the Sharptongued—thane in Gunter's steading Gerde—woman in Selig's steading Harald the Beardless—thane in Gunter's steading Hedwig—woman in Gunter's steading Kolbjorn of the Manni—one of Selig's warleaders Knud—thane in Gunter's steading Lodur the One-Eyed—priest of Odhirm Waldemar Selig—head of steading; warlord Trygve—member of the White Brethren White Brethren—Selig's thanes Tsingani Abhirati—grandmother of Anasztaizia Anasztaizia—mother of Hyacinthe Csavin—nephew of Manoj Gisell—wife of Neci Hyacinthe—friend to Phèdre; "Prince of Travellers" Manoj—father of Anasztaizia; King of the Tsingani Neci—headman of a kumpania Alba and Eire Breidaia—eldest daughter of Necthana Brennan—son of Grainne Cruarch of Alba—King of the Picti Drustan mab Necthana—son of Necthana; Prince of the Picti Eamonn mac Conor—Lord of the Dalriada Foclaidha—wife of the Cruarch Grainne mac Conor—sister of Eamonn; Lady of the Dalriada Maelcon—son of the Cruarch and Foclaidha Moiread—youngest daughter of Necthana Necthana—sister of the Cruarch Sibeal—middle daughter of Necthana Three Sisters Gildas—servant of the Master of the Straits Master of the Straits—controls the seas between Alba and Terre d’Ange Tilian—servant of the Master of the Straits Others Vitale Bouvarre—merchant; Stregazza ally Pierre Cantrel—merchant; father of Phèdre Camilo—apprentice of Gonzago de Escabares Danele—wife of Taavi; dyer Emile—member of Hyacinthe's crew Maestro Gonzago de Escabares—Aragonian historian; former teacher to Delaunay Fortun—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys Gavin Friote—seneschal of Perrinwolde Heloise Friote—wife of Gavin Purnelle Friote—son of Gavin Richeline Friote—wife of Purnelle Aelric Leithe—sailor Jean Marchand—second-in-command to Rousse Thelesis de Mornay—King's Poet Mierette nó Orchis—former adept of Orchis House Remy—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys Quintilius Rousse—Royal Admiral Taavi—Yeshuite weaver (Maia and Rena—daughters of Taavi and Danele) Master Robert Tielhard—marquist Ti-Philippe—sailor; one of Phèdre's Boys Lelahiah Valais—chirurgeon (Eisande) Japheth nó Eglantine-Vardennes—playwright Seth ben Yavin—Yeshuite scholar Chapter Summaries Chapter 1 Chapter 21 Chapter 41 Chapter 61 Chapter 81 Chapter 2 Chapter 22 Chapter 42 Chapter 62 Chapter 82 Chapter 3 Chapter 23 Chapter 43 Chapter 63 Chapter 83 Chapter 4 Chapter 24 Chapter 44 Chapter 64 Chapter 84 Chapter 5 Chapter 25 Chapter 45 Chapter 65 Chapter 85 Chapter 6 Chapter 26 Chapter 46 Chapter 66 Chapter 86 Chapter 7 Chapter 27 Chapter 47 Chapter 67 Chapter 87 Chapter 8 Chapter 28 Chapter 48 Chapter 68 Chapter 88 Chapter 9 Chapter 29 Chapter 49 Chapter 69 Chapter 89 Chapter 10 Chapter 30 Chapter 50 Chapter 70 Chapter 90 Chapter 11 Chapter 31 Chapter 51 Chapter 71 Chapter 91 Chapter 12 Chapter 32 Chapter 52 Chapter 72 Chapter 92 Chapter 13 Chapter 33 Chapter 53 Chapter 73 Chapter 93 Chapter 14 Chapter 34 Chapter 54 Chapter 74 Chapter 94 Chapter 15 Chapter 35 Chapter 55 Chapter 75 Chapter 95 Chapter 16 Chapter 36 Chapter 56 Chapter 76 Chapter 96 Chapter 17 Chapter 37 Chapter 57 Chapter 77 Chapter 18 Chapter 38 Chapter 58 Chapter 78 Chapter 19 Chapter 39 Chapter 59 Chapter 79 Chapter 20 Chapter 40 Chapter 60 Chapter 80 References Kushiel-1-1